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Since 1996 our newest conservation partner--the American Association
of Zoo Keepers (AAZK)-- through a novel program called "Bowling
for Rhinos", has raised over $200,000. These funds are supporting,
among other projects, the World Wildlife Fund-Indonesia Program's
first ever photo-trapping census of the remaining Javan rhino
population. There is now a photo inventory of over 75 Javan rhinos
comprised of eight male and four female individually recognized
rhinos that is growing larger every day.
In October 2001, WWF Indonesia released a report to the press
documenting the occurrence of at least four Javan rhino births
in the last two years in Ujung Kulon National Park. Four rhino
calves have been confirmed through the use of footprint tracking
and camera trapping within the park. The photo above shows one
of these four calves captured on film as it wandered by the camera.The
only remaining viable population of the Javan rhino exists in
Ujung Kulon and consists of about 75 rhinos. These documented
births point to a 4% annual reproduction rate which is outstanding
for this species. Conservation efforts in the park by the Minnesota
Zoo and other similar organizations are paying off and the rhino
population is recovering, albeit slowly. Now the goal is to continue
to maintain current conservation levels and improve on programs
already in existence to insure a continued future for these animals.
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